


Another One

by the_author_at_221B



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-15
Updated: 2013-11-15
Packaged: 2018-01-01 16:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1046078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_author_at_221B/pseuds/the_author_at_221B
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It wasn't fair. Another heart that stopped, another pulse he couldn't feel. If he was a doctor, why did so many people keep dying?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Another One

"It hurts."

Goddamnit. This was, this was not how it was supposed to go. McCoy frantically injected the crewman with another solution, hoping that this time, maybe, something would work. This alien bacteria was something he had never seen before. It had no antigens, but for some reason the patient was displaying all the signs of a bacteria infestation. 

"Doctor, it hurts."

Damn. This crewman, his name, his name was - Vike. Crewman Vike. 

"Hey, its alright. I’m going ta’ give you something to help with the pain, alright?" He administered a painkiller to VIke, and looked at the charts again. Nothing was working. This man, this kid was dying right in front of him. And he could do nothing about it.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked gently, laying a hand on Vike’s shoulder. 

"No," the crewman mumbled. Leonard lifted the padd resting on the counter and looked it over. 

"Jesus Christ." Leonard sighed. He was only 18. Barely an adult, and here he was, dying on a bio-bed, light years from home. 

"Am I dying?" Vike rasped out, his lungs frantically searching for air. "I don’t - I don’t-"

"Take it easy," Leonard murmured, taking the hand he had previously had on the kid’s shoulder and picking up one of his patient’s hands. "It’s gonna be alright. I just need you to take some deep breaths for me, Can you do that?" Vike struggled for air as he tried to follow his doctor’s orders. 

"Obedient to the end," Leonard whispered to himself, watching the pained man. "C’mon now, it’s gonna be alright." He took his other hand and pulled Vike upright so he was somewhat leaning against McCoy’s shoulder. "It’s okay. Just relax." He concentrated on keeping his voice soothing, when in reality, he felt like anything but. Another patient. Dying beside him as he could do nothing.

This wasn’t being a doctor.

This was being a hospice worker. 

His grip on Vike’s hand became tighter as the man struggled more, pressing his face against Leonard’s shoulder. He reached out to steady the kid.

"I’m so tired, God. Doc, I’m so tired." Leonard helped the man lie back down. 

"Go to sleep then. Nobody is stopping ya’." I wish I could, he thought bitterly.

Vike took his last breaths with no family or friends at his bedside, with nobody, pardoning his doctor. Leonard’s hands did not leave the Crewman’s until the Nurse Chapel came in and asked for the time of death.

He got up slowly from beside the dead kid’s bed, and turned around.

Spock.

He hadn’t noticed that Spock was standing in the doorway until that moment.

Normally, Leonard would have snapped about Spock scaring him, or said something along the lines of “Damnit, give a man some warning!”, but he didn’t feel up to it at the moment.

Instead he crossed the length of the room, and pushed himself into Spock’s arms. 

Spock said nothing, wrapping his arms around the normally strong doctor and placing a gentle kiss to his head.

This wasn’t the first time.

It wouldn’t be the last.

And as both of them held each other, they prayed the day would never come when either one of them took the place of the young Crewman Vike.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments are much appreciated.


End file.
